Hero
by Black Scepter
Summary: AU. A boy named Neku wakes up to find he has no memories of his past, and he has superpowers. The only thing standing between him and his past are a mysterious Biotech company and a silver haired teen with powers as well. Pairing is NekuShiki.


I am Michael of the Black Scepter penname, I was so excited that they made a section for this game that I had to write something for it. I did a similar thing like this for Kingdom Hearts (fic named: Ghost Rider) and it seems to do really well so I'd thought I'd write one for this section.

Enjoy…

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What must be like… to know your place in the world, to have a sense of belonging, a purpose in the vast world around you? Heh, I wish I could tell you, but I can't. Because, I can't even remember who am I. Well, only half true, I can tell you my name: it's Neku Sakuraba, and I'm not human, not by normal standards anyway. What's my story you ask? It began… so long ago… the day I woke up the sound of a million voices…

**Hero**

**Story by: Michael Fri.**

**Created by: the Black Scepter team.**

Chapter 1: Before I forget

"…_No he didn't!"_

"_Uh-huh! He totally did!"_

"_That dog!"_

What…what is that?

"_Goddamn kids, I told you not to touch my computer!"_

"_But mom said I could!"_

Are those…voices? They're so loud…

"_How could you, I loved you and you slept with her!"_

"_But baby, it was just a worthless fling!"_

"_Bastard!"_

Arrgghhhh, make it stop! So loud… make it stop!

"_The worthless dog—"_

"_I don't care what your mother—"_

"_Lousy no good cheating—"_

"STOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOPPPPPPPPPPPPPPP!!"

Painful no? Having to wake up with hundreds of whining, complaining, voices in your ears. I still remember that day, waking up to that, finding myself in the most unusual place a person could find himself.

_Where am I? _I thought, looking around. _I see some woods…railroad tracks too… why am I by a set of train tracks?_

I slowly sat up and rubbed my head, trying to recall how I got here. Only to find out there was nothing to recall, there was no memories to pull up, no familiar faces or places to remember, it was blank. I stood up and looked around, getting a better view of my surroundings. I seemed to be in the middle of nowhere, not a soul in sight. Without really thinking I reached into the pocket of my torn shorts and searched around, maybe I had a cell phone or something that could tell me who I was, and to my luck I felt something hard in my pocket. I pulled it out to show a brown thin wallet, eagerly I flipped open the pocket and looked at the license.

_I must be fifteen, there's a drivers tempts in here and at least twenty bucks in cash. Let's see my name is… Neku Sakuraba? How odd._ I frowned and looked to see if there was anything else, there was one last item in between the areas of the wallet: a small silver key, old and rusted. It didn't look like a car key or anything, the only clue on it was a series of numbers on the key, like a number code. But I didn't have the time, or know how, to even understand these numbers, so I slipped it back in the wallet and put that in my pocket.

I couldn't see any buildings around so I walked alongside the tracks, hoping that there was a station or some establishment nearby. I'm not sure how long I've walked, I was more focused on trying to recall something that didn't seem to exist. I closed my eyes, trying to summon up some elusive image, but nothing came, I was empty. _How can that be? Do I have amnesia, did I even have a life before this?_ I slipped my hands in my pockets and lowered my head, just walking forward with no real plan, except for maybe finding some sign of life. Finally, I heard voices from ahead of me. I lifted my head and squinted my eyes against the afternoon sun, I saw a small building ahead of me and I saw a group of people talking in front of it.

Fueled by the desire to get there and get some help, I broke into a run, my worn shoes kicking up dust against the dirt and dead grass as I was nearing the building. I slowed myself down as I got closer and was able to see the group up close: it consisted of a man with a red cap, a gray beard and long stringy hair. An African woman with long black hair, she had her purse swung on her shoulders and obviously wearing makeup. The third was another woman, blondish gray hair, clearly in her fifties and clearly stressed out. They stopped whatever they were talking about when they saw me approaching, suddenly I was wishing I wasn't so eager to get there. I gave the small group a slight nod and a small smile, they didn't return it. I heard yelping noises and saw a truck with a metal cage in the back, carrying dogs, Dobermans too… I shuddered to think what would happen if they were free. And do to how they were pounding that cage, if they were motivated enough, they could break free. I walked past them and entered the small building to find out it was a bar of sorts, there was tables, chairs, barstools, and even a bartender cleaning the counter.

She saw me walk in and gave me a warmer smile than all the others, at that moment my stomach began to grumble painfully. I gave a slight groan and approached the counter, it was nearly empty except for a man with dreadlocks and biker clothes on the far counter from him.

"You hungry?" The woman asked, blowing off some strands of her ginger hair as she whipped out a menu.

"A little," I answered truthfully, taking a seat on one of the barstools and opening a menu.

I searched for something that was twenty bucks or lower, and I found a nice combo that fit, "The Big Burger with Waffle Fries, and water to drink please."

The water was free, the meal was eleven bucks more or less, not a bad combo. The woman nodded and disappeared into the back room, leaving me in the bar alone with the biker dude. I didn't want to engage in a conversation, and he didn't want to either, I was just trying to get some food. Within a few painful minutes the woman reappeared with the most wonderful thing I've seen so far, food. A giant cheeseburger with nearly everything on it, nice big waffle fries, and water to quench my thirst, in the condition I felt like no one could blame me for eating like a starved man. I ate the food and drank the water until I was full and satisfied, I pulled out the money and was about to place it on the counter when the woman stopped me.

"Oh no, this one is on me."

"Huh? But…" I was confused, why was she doing that?

"Boy, after seeing the way you ate that, it would be terrible to take money from a starved person. Don't you even dare think of paying," She laughed, picking up the plate and setting it in the sink.

I shrugged, not wanting to lose anymore money than I had I returned it into my wallet. When I looked up I saw my reflection in the mirror, and it confused me: my hair was ginger like the bartender, it was spiked in different places and my eyes were a light blue. It was odd, but the image felt out of place, like I should be seeing someone else instead of me. I tore my eyes away from the window and left the bar, stepping outside to find the group of people had moved from the porch: the truck driver was by a truck that had a company logo on it, the elderly lady was with him too. The other girl was standing by the side of the road, her arms folded and an impatient look on her face. _At least they're not staring at me, _I thought, stepping off the porch and onto the roadway.

Or at least, that was my plan. But like all plans, they go astray in someway. As I was about to walk down the road I saw a car speeding in the distance, and it wasn't slowing down. The woman from earlier didn't see it and was stepping onto the road, she was going to get hit. I tried to yell out to her but there wasn't enough time, so I ran forward, tearing like mad down to her.

"Get out of the road! Run!" I shouted, waving my arms like crazy to catch her attention.

She saw me running and looked confused, then she turned behind her and saw the car speeding for her. It was too late for her to run, so I ran up beside her and shoved her out of the way. The car was so close, I lifted my hands to brace myself… when it happened. The moment the car touched me: it dented upon impact. I opened my eyes and stared at the scene in shock, the car had a wrecked hood, but I was perfectly unharmed. It was as if the car slammed into a concrete block instead of a fifteen year old kid. I stared at the wreck and suddenly felt a bit claustrophobic, so I tried to push myself out of the car hood that dented around me. When I pushed the car, it sailed a few feet away from me, skidding across the ground and coming to a halt. _What…the…hell!_ I thought, staring at my hands, my unbroken, not bruised, unharmed hands. I could hear voices around me and looked around, the people from before were staring at me, even the bartender stared at me in shock.

"I didn't… I was trying to…" I began, but I couldn't finish my sentence, so I turned around and ran.

I ran past the truck driver, I ran past the girl I saved, I ran past the elderly lady, I ran past the nice bartender, and I just kept running.

_Go!_

I could hear yelling from behind me, but I didn't turn around to see if they were coming for me or not, I just kept running. Then I heard it: those millions of voices pounding into my ears, I tripped and fell onto my knees in pain. I put my hands to my ears, desperately trying to block out the pain.

_Stapled shut!  
__Inside an outside world and I'm  
__Sealed in tight!  
__Bizarre, but right at home  
__Claustrophobic! Closing in, and I'm  
__Catastrophic! Not again!  
__I'm smeared across the page, and doused in gasoline  
__I wear you like a stain, and yet I'm obscene  
__Catch me up on your sordid little insurrections  
__I've got no time to lose, I'm just caught up in all the cattle_

I forced myself to ignore the initial pain in my ears and push forward, I actually could hear something behind me. I looked behind me and saw a bunch of rabid dogs running for me, they must of broke free during all the panic. I forced my legs to run even harder, trying to keep ahead of the animals.

_Fray the strings…  
__Throw the shapes…  
__Hold your breath…  
__Listen!_

They were beginning to close in on me, and at my bad luck I tripped and fell. I could feel hot breath descend upon me. I grabbed the nearest object around me and bashed the animal with it, with a short yelp of pain it flew over to my left and didn't move. _I killed it…? But, I only hit it's chest… _

However I had no time to think, more of them were coming and I really didn't want to stick around to meet their teeth, keeping the object in my hands, which was a rock, I took off running once again.

_I am a world before I am a man!  
__I was a creature before I could stand!  
__I will remember before I forget…  
__BEFORE I FORGET THAT!_

_I am a world before I am a man!  
__I was a creature before I could stand!  
__I will remember before I forget…  
__BEFORE I FORGET THAT!_

_I'm ripped across the ditch, and settled in the dirt  
__And I wear you like a stitch, yet I'm the one who's hurt  
__Pay attention to your twisted little indiscretions  
__I've got no right to win, I'm just caught up in all the battles_

I kept running, evading the animals as they leapt at me. My legs weren't even tired, which was odd since I've been running for awhile. But my luck seemed to run out, as I was running forward I saw something that just darkened my day: there was a cliff ledge overlooking a lake, I was trapped. I looked behind me to see the dogs had stopped as well, blocking me from doubling back. I felt like an animal trapped against…well… animals.

_Locked in clutch…  
__Pushed in place…  
__Hold your breath…  
__Listen!_

_I am a world before I am a man!  
__I was a creature before I could stand!  
__I will remember before I forget…  
__BEFORE I FORGET THAT!_

_I am a world before I am a man!  
__I was a creature before I could stand!  
__I will remember before I forget…  
__BEFORE I FORGET THAT!_

One of the dogs had stepped ahead the pack, he seemed to be the little ringleader of the group. And he seemed to mark me as his prey, I took a step back and nearly slipped. I was out of room. So I had to make a choice, either die by being mauled by dogs, or die by drowning or painful fall. Just then the dog leaped, and so did I… off the ledge.

_My end… it justifies my means  
__All I ever do is delay  
__My every attempt to evade  
__The end of the road and my end…  
__It justifies my means  
__All I ever do is delay  
__My every attempt to evade  
__THE END OF THE ROAD!_

You know that saying about how your life may flash before you die? Well, if it did, mine was considerably short, since I can't even remember what my life used to be. As I was approached the sharp rocks below I lifted my arms, to at least broke my arms before my own neck. But then the rush of air that came from falling stopped, it was as if I was still on the ground… but that was impossible right? Heh, think again. I opened my eyes to see I was inches from the water and sharp rocks, hovering in midair. I was in shock (wouldn't you be?), humans can't fly! Or even hover for that matter… maybe this was a trick of my mind? If it was, it was very realistic. With every move my head made, my hovering body moved with it. I angled myself upward and tried to do the first thing that came to me, try to push myself upward. When I jerked my body forward I didn't ease up, I shot forward high into the air, above the cliff, above the dogs, even above the ground!

"Oh…god…" Were the only words that came to my mouth during this whole thing, I was hovering aimlessly in the air without any clue (or direction) of what to do.

I could still hear voices from below me and saw a crowd gathering, wanting nothing more than to get away I shot tilted myself forward and did what I did when I was hovering at the cliff ledge. Like earlier, I shot forward like a missile, clouds and birds alike were blurs as I shot forward. I had no direction of where to go, but I just needed to get away…

_I am a world before I am a man!  
__I was a creature before I could stand!  
__I will remember before I forget…  
__BEFORE I FORGET THAT!_

_I am a world before I am a man!  
__I was a creature before I could stand!  
__I will remember before I forget…  
__BEFORE I FORGET THAT!_

_Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah,  
__Yeah, yeah, yeah, OH!_

…From the ground below, a man with dreadlocks and biker clothes picks up a phone and dials a number.

"…Mr. Kitaniji? It's me…yeah… I found him."

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That's all for chapter 1. The song playing was Before I Forget by Slipknot. Please review, it would be awesome.


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